Thy Is Roza
by Phedre Serenity Rosamund
Summary: Tragedy's have never been my thing... okay we all know that to be a lie. So I think I'll just say I wasn't ready for this very tragedy. I never thought it would happen. Yet it has. Now just what part does Dimitri play in this tragedy?
1. Tragedy hits, strikes and beats down

I looked at Lissa with wide innocent eyes and this time they were true. I haven't done anything warranting the attention of Kirova, at least not that I can remember. Grasping the brass cool handle in my hand I wondered what adventure this would start. It is a never ending pattern for me.

I turned the brass handle.

"Ah, Rose how nice of you to FINALLY join us"

I want with all my heart to walk out of here. I really do but orders are orders and if word got out that I walked out on Kirova the damn queen would jump to the chance to execute me… she really would.

Right now my main priorities are Lissa and Dimitri maybe Christian and… yeah I guess I have to count Andre too. These people are my family well besides mom and dad. I have abandoned them in my own way but never again will I ever cast them away.

"Please sit down Guardian Hathaway"

Kirova looked at me with a cold mask. No feelings visible in her eyes, this kind of scared me. It was sort of like a bad omen I guess but the look on headmistresses face gave a slight chill down my spine. Alberta and Dimitri were in the room, as erect as a…

"We have tragic but important news for you Guardian Hathaway"

Dimitri won't look at me, what the hell? What is going on and why am I being called guardian Hathaway? Only my mother is referred with that title… OMFG…

"God… No"

Kirova still gave me that blank stare; I cast my gaze to Dimitri and Alberta. Dimitri has taken to looking at the dark floor as if it was a sudden interest of his and Alberta… Alberta had a passive look on her face but that lone tear said something.

"Your mother was guarding her Moroi one night when the Strigoi had a human breach the *sob* Janine fought so bravely. The other guardians were taken out so easily, after about 17 Strigoi started to attack her did she go down. She is, she was the bravest person ever to live *sob* she didn't want you to be given the life she got out of but… *loud sob* and she wrote some things down in her will for you, one of them is that you are immediately named Guardian Hathaway *annoyingly loud sob* but we have to do it just know that I am so sorry…"

I think she went on after that but somehow I'm able to tune her out right now, the gifts of selective hearing. I feel cold and pissed off at the world, actually to be more realistic I feel like going on a rampage and clearing the world of Strigoi. God dammit, how could this happen to me! AGAIN! I feel like the world is against me, I really do. And what the hell maybe the world is against me, sure as hell would explain A LOT!

A calming hand on my shoulder had me realizing I'm ranting aloud. But why fuck do I care? That's right, I don't. Kirova was sobbing on her desk uncontrollably; Alberta looked away uncomfortably as tears trickled down her face. But Dimitri, well Dimitri is holding me to his chest. His very well muscled chest that I could just-

The door swung open.

I can't believe my eyes nor do I actually WANT to believe them.

The Queen Bitch has entered the room she is most unwelcomed in.

"What are you doing here…? Bitch" Of course I added that last part to stall my growing want of pulverizing her skull into mush. She still looked cool and collected if not a little triumphant… if only I could get my hands on her and ring her neck until she turned my favorite color… which happens to be blue, maybe even purple.

"I just came to pay a visit to my niece"

I looked around just to make sure she was talking to ME and not some other person. She indeed is talking to me.

"FUCK NO!"

Her evil, demonic grin told me differently.

*LISSA'S P.O.V*

I looked to Adrian and Christian then back again. No way in any dimension is Rose related to Adrian it just isn't believable. They look nothing alike while Rose looks exotic, no offense to Adrian but he just looked good.

Christian was glaring at Adrian, I have no clue for what but I guess their fighting again. No big deal there, they are always finding new ways to give each other a hard time. Rose usually settles their fights. I understand how each feels about her. Adrian adores her but he in return gets unrequited love and Christian loves her like the sister he never had. But he would never tell her that.

"You guys are related how?"

Adrian gave me half a shrug that was the only response he has been giving me since he brought this news.

*FLASHBACK* * 5 min. ago*

_The door opened with a bang and in came Adrian, unruly locks and all. He sat down across from me and next to Christian, something was obviously bothering him I realized just because of his seating choices. I sat next to him and placed a hand softly on his shoulder giving it a slight squeeze. _

"_The queen paid me a visit today… I'm related to Rose… holy fuck I'm related to Rose HATHAWAY!"_

*End Flashback*

I glanced at Christian, giving him my best motherly look I tugged Adrian up from his pitiful slouching position.

"Come on Cousin. Let's get you to bed"

*ABE'S P.O.V*

I pulled out my cell phone; dialing the number I haven't had to dial nor wanted to dial in a long time. The phone wasn't answered for another two minutes until finally I heard a sound that was human.

"Hi Ibrahim long time no talk"

I stared blankly at the landscape before me. I 'm no longer in the United States, I'm in Russia. In front of a palace I hate with my very soul.

"Yes… it has been awhile, Alexei…"

A chuckle was heard through the phone "Now, Now, Ibrahim just call me brother-in-law… how's that niece of mine?"

I stared at the phone and chucked it to the ground; I realize now what it's like to feel the most pure love for family. Part of my family has been ripped away from me, now I will do anything to protect what's left.

My daughter,

Rose…

I will protect her … even if it does mean giving up my freedom.

I walked through the gates of hell.

* * *

Stay tuned for more! ;)

-Phedre Serenity Rosamund


	2. Against my will

I looked at the queen and if looks could kill, well… I wouldn't be the only one to do it. Truth be told, she'd probably be long gone after how many life's she's messed up. I mean really? Adrian and Lissa TOGETHER as in husband and wife? I would've thought she was joking but she had told me herself.

"HELL TO THE NO! I'm NOT related to you! Not one bit, I'm NOT a royal Moroi Dhampir, I'm not any of that shit and I sure as hell am NOT YOUR NIECE!"

Okay, so I may or may not have jumped at the queen to tear her face off, or gouge her eyes out. Her guards stood silently in front of her although one looked scared as fuck. I must look as scary as I feel…

The queen stood rigidly a sadistic smile on her face. You know I hate stupid people, people that ruin peoples life's just for the heck of it. You know humans should develop the same system animals do, the idiots that don't know when to shut the fuck up or when not to mess with people should… die.

"Oh. But you are Princess Rose, and you are now the last direct Hathaway princess"

The Queen has finally cracked.

No way in HELL, am I a princess. I'm a guardian and when I graduate I will dedicate my life to being Lissa's guardian. I think I was saying this out loud, pretty sure since the grin on her face just grew to the extent I thought her face would split in two.

"Guardian Hathaway you have been requested by the king of Russia to guard him"

Everybody averted their eyes to the man that had just walked into the room. He realized he had been interrupting something when he glanced at the stone cold face of his Queen. I smiled lightly at the man, if not beaming a little too brightly at him.

"OK. Thanks Liam"

I smiled triumphantly at the Queen. Funny thing how my smirk was mirrored exactly on her face, I tried to raise my eyebrow (damn Dimitri and his talents) but ended up raising both. I'm pretty sure I looked comical right now but that was the least of my problems, and good god isn't that right?

"Why the hells are YOU grinning, you have nothing to GRIN FOR!"

She nodded to her guards and they immediately picked me up. I put up a pretty damn good fight but then Dimitri was ordered to get me. My resistance went down like a… a… word…. Well there is no description of how I forgot how much I wanted my freedom.

Dimitri is like a drug for me; unhealthy but I'll always want him. Because… I love him.

I saw they were taking me off campus, oh to hell with that idea even if I' am in Dimitri's arms I'm sure as hell not about to leave my family behind. Not without a DAMN good fight.

I wriggled out of Dimitri's arms and tossed a quick kick where it hurt the most; I turned to the queens guards and quickly sent a mixture of unique kicks and punches at them. Of course they were no match for me.

I dived for the ground as Dimitri came for me; I tripped him and sent him flying, surprisingly. The queen's guards once again tried to get me, rolled over and jumped to my feet.

I was tiring.

And Quickly.

I looked at the queen to see her mumbling under her breath. With that last glare I was knocked out cold, whether from a swift punch or the spell thing old queenly had going on I couldn't tell.

*20 hours later, Russia*

I opened my eyes to see I was in a lavish room decorated in sky blue the color of a king fisher and gold. After I studied the room a little more thoroughly from fine silks to rubies and pearls I looked to the window.

Only there was one tinsy winsy little problem… a man blocked my way. He had a wine glass in hand and was mumbling to himself. The air became crisp and the room fell away to reveal a graveyard in autumn. Six forms wept atop one of the tombstones. Their tears hit my very soul; one girl looked up at me. Her auburn brown hair so much like my own mothers floated majestically around her. Her pale eyes had no warmth.

She is a ghost.

I walked closer to her and soon she was skipping around me. The other three girls also joined the festivities; hand in hand they skipped around in a circle around her. Their ghostly voices circled me in a cold fog.

"_There is a clock that never strikes…_

_There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up…_

_There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse…_

_There is a troupe of little actors in costume… _

_And when you are hungry and thirsty someone is always there who drives you away…_

_That is the price Russia paid when four little princesses made their way…"_

The voices faded and I opened my eyes again. The man with the wine glass now stood above me his eyes holding a twinge of concern within their chocolate brown depths.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?"

Ah. The old Rose charm, always works.

The man simply chuckled and walked towards the door. He walked out.

"Well I didn't want to know anyway BASTARD"

The door once again opened let's just say I'm NOT a happy camper right now. All I really want right now is to disappear into this mighty comfy bed and never return… okay maybe that's not correct. The politically correct term for what I REALLY want would be this: Little baby Dimitri's and Rose's running around my house while protecting Lissa and living with my family.

This day dream is not to be, especially not for me.

In walked… a childhood enemy. Catalina Reveres is a Moroi with a lot of attitude not to mention she did a number of things I can only vaguely comprehend. Not that I really actually want to comprehend… eww.

"Hey there Rose… I see my revenge is in full swing"

I chuckled and squinted my eyes a little as if she were a mirage.

"Oh, Catalina I almost didn't recognize you with your legs closed" She harrumphed and stomped out of the room, a trail of curses winding behind her. The man walked back in with a tray of food setting it down on the beautiful cherry oak bedside table.

He smiled brightly "Hello Rose. I took the liberty of getting you some food as you can see. By the way, I'm your Uncle Alexei… your mother's brother"

Oh Fuck. I'm in deep shit.

*Christians P.O.V*

I watched as Kirova dried her tears again… for the fifth time. Every time I ask where Rose is, the damn woman just broke down into hysterics.

You know it has been scientifically proven that guys are turned off every time a woman cries, there's a chemical in woman's tears and when men smell it they are automatically turned off… or something like that.

Once again I asked her where Rose is, she simply handed me a map and pointed to Russia. FINALLY GETTING SOMEWHERE!

I hurriedly sat down in the chair.

"Okay… WHERE in Russia did the Queen and Dimitri take her?"

Kirova sobbed annoyingly loud into a tissue mumbling things here and there. Okay so she wasn't talking anytime soon.

I marched out of the room walking into Lissa she looked expectantly at me. I gave her the map nodding to her and we walked back to her room. Adrian was packing the rest of Lissa's clothes, randomly stuffing underwear, thongs, shirts, dresses and other such things into the last suitcase.

Lissa picked up her suitcase Adrian and I followed suit. We already had our plan lined out. Lissa had the front guards in her control it was also night or day… so it wouldn't be hard to get off campus with the guards out of the way then they would scour Russia till they found Rose.

We walked out of the front gates and into the awaiting limo. Russia here we come.


	3. Take some advice, Love Rose

If there were words in this world to express my surprise and utter shock it would be 'WHAT THE FUCK' which I have expressed many times now.

Uncle Alexei as he insists I call him is the king of Russia. The queen is his half sister effectively making her my mother's half sister.

My father was a royal Dhampir who just happened to inherit Moroi magic (which might I add I have never seen him demenstrate nor heard of before which makes me question it) and was made her personal guard after putting himself through trials that would make even the toughest guardian shiver with fear.

So all in all, I might as well not even be considered a Dhampir.

Plan your life from the begging and it gets messed up.

Go-fucking-figure, just the Hathaway luck I guess. I'm mean we had to have some curse bestowed upon our line because, well do you see any other long lost Hathaway princess making their entrance anytime soon?

I was staring emptily at the ceiling while Jennifer, my maid** tried** explaining what dresses to wear to a ball verses what dresses to wear regularly (hard to imagine right? Rose Hathaway, guardian to Lissa-)

"LISSA!"

ADRIAN'S P.O.V

I watched the people grind against each other. I'm in one of my more lucid moments, but in these moments I find I'm much more mature and wiser than any other time, or I allow myself to think more. Who knows it could be a combination of all.

"Adrian, come on man we have to see if anyone knows about the 'king of Russia'"

I realize how stupid of an idea this is, three royal Moroi, one the last of her line traveling and traipsing around Russia where Strigoi liked to make themselves known for being vicious killers… yeah we were no doubt either going to get ourselves hurt or killed.

But for Rose we all came to an agreement, it is worth it. Isn't it though? A trade for a trade, Rose had showed time and time again that she would always be there for us could we not show her the same?

I love her, maybe it's not the love others would describe as love but love has no true form. As society shows us and gives us example I find we might be stupid young people, but to find the one you love… who you really do love… would you not do the same?

I followed Christian and Lissa to the bar, they ordered themselves drinks and the thought dawned on me that this wasn't such a good idea. Knocking the drink out of Christians grasp I took Lissa's away from the bartender before she could even think to grab it.

"WHAT THE HELL ADRIAN? NOW MY DRINKS SMASHED ON THE GROUND!"

I simply rolled my eyes and grabbed the collar of his coat and grasped Lissa's arm none too nicely. We were risking our lives AND thinking about drinking? I mean I might be just a little buzzed but obviously I'm the only one thinking.

"WE ARE IN RUSSIA. WE ARE ROYAL MOROI. WE ARE ALONE. A-L-O-N-E, AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? HUH? IT MEANS WERE FAIR GAME DUMBASS"

I walked them out of the club and into the cold night. Christian and Lissa were looking guiltily at the ground then at each other, then back to the ground. I hadn't meant to be so harsh… well maybe not yell at the top of my lungs, but at least I know my point has been made.

"So your royal Moroi are you?"

I looked behind us to see two Strigoi.

Ah shit.

The Hathaway luck has rubbed off on us.

ROSE P.O.V

Imbeciles.

They just have to come looking for me don't they? Do they not understand that I'm with Dimitri and when I'm with Dimitri I'm always safe… well, most of the time?

I pushed myself into Lissa's mind again, no correction I pushed myself into her body and I have only done this once before but tonight it feels much different. Although I don't have the spirit helping me, I'm shadow-kissed.

I have learned now that us that are shadow-kissed have our own power. We have the power to protect our bonded. No matter what the problem no matter how much power, the will to protect our bonded is much too strong.

I backed away as the Strigoi walked closer and closer to us. They were leering with the face that clearly stated we were dinner. Ah Fuck. It's amazing how we get into these situations… maybe Rose is rubbing off on us…

_I resent that…_

I jumped, before slowly comprehending the voice in my head. OR in Lissa's head.

"_**Rose?"**_

"_Nope, I'm your conscious that just happens to sound suspiciously like Rose"_

"_**Oh. My. God. It is you Rose, how are you doing this? God this is… so WEIRD… Strigoi are after us Rose what should we do?"**_

I remember the first rule Dimitri ever taught me. Run.

"_Lissa… you run"_

DIMITRI'S P.O.V

The king sat opposite of me. Looking like the cat that eat the canary. Why? I wouldn't know. He's a friking lunatic and has this look often for no goddamned reason.

"So I heard that Rose has… hmm how do the humans put this… lost her v-card?"

_You could say that. Yes._

"Really? I wasn't aware of this very personal fact"

Alexei chuckled and shifted in his chair. If I'm not mistaken he's trying to find an angle that will make him look intimidating.

"Oh. Well I wonder who this cradle robber is. Who would do such a thing? Deflower the Hathaway heir?"

_Yours truly._

"I don't know your highness"

Alexei was quiet for a while, just staring at me like a friking idiot.

"Oh but I think you do… you know I would've had you killed by now if it wasn't for the fact that you brought Rose here"

My fist clenched. This guy really has no idea who the hell he's messing with.

"It was for her own safety. The Strigoi are still after her… they want to kill her since they know that turning her is out of the question. She would over power all of them"

Alexei got up and poured himself a cup of coffee. Turning around he raised an elegant eyebrow at me. I hate royals and their bitchy attitudes, really fucks up my day.

"So if Strigoi are after her isn't she safe at the academy?"

_I don't know why don't you go check. Stay for a while it shouldn't be long till the Strigoi got you._

"No. It is no longer safe for Rose at the academy, which is why I dared to acknowledge your order to bring her to the Russian court"

Alexei smirked and leaned on the window sill. His face was a cold mask until he glanced outside.

"Beautiful night isn't it? Full of wonders, and secrets untold… full of surprises… I wonder what will be exposed with this coming night. Don't you wonder what will come with this night Guardian Belikov?"

"Oh, were playing nice now?" I remained seated, looking anything but compliant. "Shall we have tea first? Brew up a nice pot of kiss-my-ass?"

Alexei looked mildly amused. You know I can believe that Adrian and Alexei are relatives… if rather distant relatives… blood all the same.

"Truce" He grinned and walked over pouring him and me a cup of tea "If only for Roza we will be at least 'humane' towards each other… if only to keep her happy… I wouldn't want her to lose her sleep because we caused a fuss or something" He handed me my cup of tea and sat down again.

I looked in the tea cup and thought about Rose. Roza.

MY Roza.

I stood up and walked towards the door "MY Roza would never lose sleep over you. She doesn't even know you, yet you act as if she's lived here her whole life. Act as if she's KNOWN of you her whole life" I dumped my tea into the plant that sat conveniently by the door. "And I will not kiss your ass"

Alexei looked at me and laughed although it sent a shiver down my spine, not of fear but of caution. He glanced back towards the window, chuckling still.

"She doesn't even know herself." He looked guiltily at his cup then back at me, piercing me with brown eyes. This guy never shuts up!

"And pray tell whose fault is that?"

He tilted his head. A crazy dazed look on his face.

"Anna's"

I opened the door in a flurry. Tossing him a look over my shoulder "You're a goddamned nut. Do us all a favor and get some psychiatric help before you get us all killed in this game of yours" I slammed the door shut behind me.

I couldn't move for a couple of minutes. My eyes are squeezed shut, not wanting to come to facts that…

"Were so screwed"

I leaned against the wall listening to the echoing patterns of feet bounce off of walls. That is until I heard a scream, and I've heard this scream many times before to be able to identify it.

Roza.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTE**** AUTHORS NOTE*** AUTHORS NOTE**** AUTHORS NOTE*** AND ONE MORE TIME JUST FOR THE EFFECTS... AUTHORS NOTE***

And the plot thickens.

So some of you might be thinking Dimitri sounds like a 14 year old boy. Well, in one of the books it states that Dimitri is sort of like Rose. They both have thing for wanting to express themselves… loudly. But one actually goes for it. So I'm just going off of that in THIS chapter and any that has him and Alexei in the same room.

Another thing about Dimitri in this tale is he has a rivalry with Alexei which will be coming up. You know… as the plot thickens. And becomes less confusing.

And those of you who are sitting there saying "This is so wrong it doesn't connect at all to the book, I hate it!" then stop reading now. This rides only about to get bumpier… and stranger… let's just say I stop four feet away from blood lusting fairies.

That leaves a lot to the imagination, and my imagination enjoys floating on clouds and roaming everywhere… in other words … just go with the flow. And those who are saying "Oh to hell with it I'll just press this button HERE"

You are my people. My favorite people…

And for the people (the majority) that are just sitting there staring blankly then coming to life screaming "WTF?"

I'm posting this story for you.

Stay tuned for more! ;)

Phedre Serenity Rosamund


	4. Good Die Young

**A/N: _K, so I know that some people just skip over the songs, I mean even I do that. But this song I'm putting in here touches on how being a Guardian is not fun and games. Lives are __taken away. By the way the song is called the Good Die Young by D12. It's long but it will put some light on the fact that this is life, not fun and games.. Oh and if you don't like rap… and you don't get then I totally understand if you skip over it… which most people probably will anyway… With that read on…_**

* * *

LISSA P.O.V

I ran.

I ran like I've never ran before, I can hear them behind us and know their just playing with us. Its actually rather degrading, having Strigoi play with you… like some common house pet.

Or, their next meal.

Apparently their done playing, cold hands grabbed me from behind. A mouth lowered to my neck. Teeth sunk into my neck. My life essence being sucked away from me in a simple action, it hurts like a mother fucker. I felt a scream rip out of my throat.

"You guys never stop… do you?"

Just as easily as I was captured I was let go. Up ahead Adrian and Christian were also released from their confinements. The Strigoi moved rights passed us like we aren't even here. What the hell? I actually feel a little put off. Am I not delicious enough to be drained?

'_Are you seriously thinking that Lissa?'_

'_**Yeah… well… only for a minute…?'**_

'_K, we'll talk about this later… who took away the attention you were so craving?' _

'_**I was not craving… I don't know'**_

'_Then look oh smart one'_

The Strigoi were fighting a woman and a man. They were rather beautiful, if I had to say so myself. The woman was slender and curvaceous. Her midnight black hair was arranged in an elegant bun at the top of her head. Apparently as Rose had so gladly pointed out, her fighting style is amazing… and she doesn't look a day over nineteen.

I walked a little closer missing the Strigoi reaching out to get me. A second later the man was wielding a silver steak swinging it with calculative movements. The Strigoi once again easily forgot about me.

The woman took out two of the Strigoi almost too easily. She ran over to her comrade and took out the last one.

I realized at this time that my blood was trickling down my neck; Rose had long ago disappeared from my mind. I'm alone; the darkness is a comforting blanket at the edges of my vision. Finally the pain and loss of blood is too much. I pass out cold.

ROSE P.O.V

Fuck.

You know that point in time when your whole body just freezes and you know… you KNOW you're fucked. Totally and completely, all the fight from you is gone as soon as you realize all your options are zero… zilch… cero… one big 0. You totally deflate.

I'm in one of those moments. My bonded was just bit, I feel every pain every sucking motion as my own and man does it hurt! I feel a scream rip from my throat as the pain becomes excruciating.

I forcefully jumped back into my body. I can't move. That was the first hint that something is very wrong. I can't move my body.

The room again fell away. The air becoming hot and stick, it was humid to such a degree that air become a struggle to breathe in. I once again had the ability to move. Getting up from the grass covered land I dusted my simple pants and sweatshirt off.

I saw a trail so; obviously I followed it I mean what else am I supposed to do? Walking along the trail I heard male and female voices.

I crouched down immediately, they were talking in hushed voices and well… that meant there was something to be learned

"Where is your husband?"

There was a soft cluck of the tongue before the female responded.

"Not that it's any of your business but he's doing his work… you know the work were being forced to do"

The man chuckled before once again turning serious.

"You want me to take the baby and the boy?"

I looked around the long grass to see the woman nod. It was an officer type looking man and a rather pretty woman. The woman took a bundle from her arms and handed it to the officer. The officer looked around (I ducked down low) and then took the bundle softly into his arms, smiling softly at the pile of blankets.

The woman wiped away a stray tear then beckoned to the grass, a young boy with dark brown eyes walked out of the tall grass. He looked up curiously at the officer before running into his mother's arms.

Sob/Laughing she pulled the boy off of her skirts and pushed him towards the officer. Blowing a kiss she hurried down the path without a look back.

This fell away and I was again in the graveyard.

Still in the midst of cool autumn, headstones glimmered in the setting sun. Six figures cried upon a headstone. I stumbled closer; four figures got up and walked towards me.

It was the four little girls again.

The one with auburn hair took my hand and led me over to the grieving family the other three girls following silently behind us. The woman and the man stood up regally, heads high but tears streaming.

The little girls held hands then danced around me singing that haunting melody once again.

"_There is a clock that never strikes…_

_There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up…_

_There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse…_

_There is a troupe of little actors in costume… _

_And when you are hungry and thirsty someone is always there who drives you away…_

_That is the price Russia paid when four little princesses made their way…"_

The mother looked down at the headstone, and there rested one name….

ALEXEI

LISSA'S P.O.V

Waking up to a whole lot of talking I got out of bed. But it's not MY bed. In fact this isn't my room. Slipping on the black slippers decorated with stars and moons I walked out of the room. Turning at the first corner I was met with what looked like an auditorium. Big house.

The room was filled with people, some crying some smiling although it was obvious they were only smiling because it was either that or crying their hearts out.

A tap on my shoulder interrupted me from my observations. Turning around the woman from the other day smiled at me. Her black hair was now hanging down going past mid-back, I could see now that it also had blond highlights. Her eyes were catlike and the color a pale green and her cheekbones high. She looked like a dark goddess… actually she kind of looks like Rose.

The woman stood next to me and looked out on the crowd.

"My name is Asenath"

I smiled easily, she sounded nice too.

"My names Lissa… and if you don't mind me asking… where in the hell am I?"

Asenath looked around the room seeming to be looking for someone. I guess she found them because she nodded her head and the guy from the other day walked over.

Asenath frowned. This bothered me deeply even though I don't know how or why but she seemed too… headstrong or strong or… well something along those lines to show such human emotions. This might sound cruel, but it's the truth.

The guy draped an arm around her waist. Grinning cheekily at me he swooped down and pecked Asenath's cheek. Blushing she responded to my question.

"You're at my house… at a funeral"

My eyes widened… seriously? A funeral.

The guy chuckled. Looking at him now I could see he has midnight blue eyes with fine dark brown hair almost black. He was muscular but just enough for him to look totally hot. Now looking at them as a full picture they looked like the best couple in the world and obviously felt deeply for one another.

He held out a hand.

"My names Tristan… nice to meet you princess"

"Same here… uh, am I interrupting something? I mean I don't mean to intrude or anything… me or my friends who I assume are sleeping still… but if were intruding we can go"

Asenath merely shook her head and turned me to look at the stage where a casket and five men stood.

"My brothers up there"

I looked for any resemblances but found none.

"He's the one in the casket"

Once again startling the SHIT out of me…

"He was a guardian… a damn good one… just like your friend Rose is"

I furrowed my eyebrows "Who are you?"

She laughed pleasantly "I'm Abe's niece… Rose's cousin"

I nodded. Tristan shushed us.

"Their about to pay their respects… shush and listen"

The first man stepped up to the casket.

"_Dawg...I shouldn't have left, They wouldn't have tried this shit if I was wit ya  
Maybe we would have picked another time  
Or chose another way  
Or maybe my prayers would have convinced him to choose another soul  
Shit, it's just me and my man Tony now  
Man you look so peaceful right now... how can I argue wit that  
They say..."_

Music started playing the men all stood and sang… the lyrics picking away at my heart. This could happen to Rose. And as each man told a story I too felt his sorrow.

_[Chorus:]_  
They say the good die young,  
That's why I think that you should have fun (when your young)  
Cos time won't wait for no one (uh huh)  
When god calls, you gotta go home (go home)  
They say the good die young, (die young)  
That's why I know that we go' have fun,  
In this life cos you only get one  
When God calls for me, don't cry I just went home

_[Kon Artis]_  
It's true that everybody heard, their mama say every days like this  
When you see, one of your friends die in the mist  
In the struggle, went through circumstances  
Arrested every day just to prove a point to a friend  
Even then, accidents are prone to happen to any man  
A woman is dumb enough to pretend  
That her, god won't hold them accountable for sins  
If they commit, they try to repent the sense of Repent  
But I guess (that's just the way things go)  
I was blessed to see 24 (24)  
To wake up to that "Hi, my name is" video  
Motivated me to write what i wrote  
And I knew my little brother sold dope  
An mom and daddy want to move our road  
I did it, I still got a lot to prove and show  
I just which we ain't have to lose Bugz to the struggle  
Cos you know...

_[Chorus]_

_[Bizzare]_  
I know you used to Bizzare on some silly shit  
But -in my clique, is dying quick  
In Detroit, -, snatch off Bacardis  
That's why I keep the pistol under the trunk  
I'm 27 years old, too old to be getting jumped  
And fuck rap, I miss Karnail Pitts, b-u-g-z  
Tattooed on my wrist  
Me and you in the jeep, listen to swing beats  
It's a shame me and Fuzz don't even speak  
I got married, my wife name is D  
Peace to 31 and 51-50, miss you

_[Kuniva]_  
I came back on that tragic day, my phone rung  
And Bizerte's voice telling me, Bugs was gone home  
It was like a knife piercing my chest and I couldn't breathe  
I didn't wanna accept it, didn't wanna believe it  
I swear with this weight dawg, I cried so hard  
Literally, Denaun had to carry me to the car  
While I stand in this booth now it's tearing me apart  
But I had to let it out cos it was tearing at my heart  
Cos he died over something so petty and so small  
A human life is so very precious I hope you all  
Understand how I'm feeling cos I love you bugz  
I wanna rhyme with you, laugh with you, hug you bugz  
But I can't and you was so close to seeing dreams  
A coward came along and took you away from the team  
So don't mistake this track as just another song  
This goes out to everyone who lost a loved one  
Cos you know

_[Chorus]_

_[Proof]_  
They say it's never too late, to have an early childhood  
If I could, turn back the hands of time, God should  
Forgive what I did as a kid to run blocks  
Now my dreams are just dream cops and gun shots  
The fun stops when your homies up in a box  
My dudey bole, rest his soul, snuffed by the cops  
I use to question a lot, if there's a guy by me say something  
If you love her so much why didn't u gave nothing  
When he took my homie, snuck was only in 11th grade  
Now I hope to see your face at the heaven gates  
It ain't never late in the game, this hating remains  
With a grudge to see slugs straight through my frame  
My heart aches with the pain, the life in his breath  
We gotta have fun now, there's only minutes left  
In the depth, distress younger's are sucked in  
To get tats of my fallen homies, I ain't got enough skin

_[Chorus]_

_[Swifty]_  
When I was younger I knew four brothers that wasn't wise  
That crash and the driver died,  
My partner on the passenger side was paralyzed  
And I'm surprised by the look of that ride that the other peeps survived  
Nine months later another one died  
Somebody shot him in the side when he was starting up his ride  
3 years go by, I made a hell of a run  
And that's when funky got done, a Joey playing with guns  
And took over funds, kart was my man  
And reggy, I wish that I was with you in that van  
And Bugz if it wasn't for you  
You know I wouldn't be standing in this booth,  
That's the truth, I miss you all...

_[Chorus x2]_

I had heard this song once back in America… It was sung by D12. An old song but my friend had a thing for them back then.

"Those men up there… they weren't rapping or singing for a guardian… they were singing for a brother lost in war… that's what the songs about… dedicated to anyone who felt the lost of a loved one… it was my brothers favorite song…. So we decided to play it at the funeral"

I just nodded.

A brother lost in war…

A brother lost to Strigoi…

A soul gone from earth…

By a Strigoi…

"I can tell he was a good man Asenath"

She glanced at me with surprise before breaking out into a smile "that he was"

"LISSA, CHRISTIAN WHERE THE HELL AM I? WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS… DID YOU LEAVE ME? ALL ALONE?"

Everyone turned towards the hallway and there was Adrian…

Leave it to him to ruin a mood.

AUTHORS NOTE**** AUTHORS NOTE*** AUTHORS NOTE**** AUTHORS NOTE**** AUTHORS NOTE****

1. If you had a problem with the song, keep it to yourself… if you don't have something nice to say don't say it at all...

2. If you didn't like some of the language suck it up, I don't think there was anything that bad… but if there was, if you can handle the F bomb you can handle that…

3. I'm running out of things to complain about… so I guess three will be don't forget to REVIEW

4. I do have something to add! Hope you guys liked this chapter and I hope to get at least 3-4 reviews on it… but that's just a hope…

5. Also yes I was lazy and got the lyrics on the internet so there are typos and slang but live with it... it makes the song what it is ( but do you really blame me?)

Stay tuned for more! ;)

Phedre Serenity Rosamund


	5. The Moment Of Half The Truth

Disclaimer: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE DO I OWN VAMPIRE ACADEMY... OBVIOUSLY.

*ROSE'S P.O.V*

I felt the sudden change in atmosphere. Actually it's pissing me off that they can whisk me away to where ever the hell they wish whenever they wish it. Have I worked on my mental shields for so long for them to just fail me?

Hell. To. The. No.

I was just about to slip on my fuzzy warm slippers when the door burst open with a loud bang that could've woken up somebody in Alaska.

"Roza what is it where are they?"

I tilted my head with a smirk, is Guardian Belikov WORRIED about me? Of course he is!

"Dimitri… are you worried about me?"

He walked over to me with long strides embracing me with large arms and squeezing me to his chest. His large calloused hands stroked my hair rhythmically.

"Good God yes Roza. Don't you ever do that to me again! I thought you were being murdered. What happened anyway?"

Ah, now isn't THAT the question of the year? Now how should I go about explaining this?

Here goes nothing.

"Well, I was visiting Lissa in her head when she had nearly gotten captured by Strigoi in Russia. Then I pushed myself into her mind. THEN she actually DID get captured by Strigoi and one actually bit her, I had by that time pushed myself into her body so I felt everything leading to me screaming in excruciating pain. The only reason she wasn't drained was because two guardians saved her… and Adrian and Christian."

Dimitri looked at me with a raised eyebrow. Apparently he didn't think that was the only thing wrong, and that isn't the only thing that was wrong.

"And well, there's random moments when the room falls away. It feels like jumping off the empire state building, free falling then landing on a soft cloud. Then something happens this time I was watching an exchange happen. After I watched it then the world fell away again and I had landed in a graveyard. It was cold. Then there was four little girl and they sang to me then they went over to a gravestone and there was a man and a woman crying over the tombstone… and the tombstone read Alexei."

Dimitri looked really calm through all this and if I hadn't known him so well he would have fooled me with his guardian mask.

He was mulling this all over in his mind, taking each piece of information and analyzing it with every ounce of consideration. Finally after a couple of minutes of complete silence he finally broke it.

"Call them to you"

It was so easy in its simplicity; just call the ghosts to you. Shit how did I not think of this before? It was the perfect course of action.

Closing my eyes and concentrating on each mourning face of the silent family. Finally they were all around me. The four girls and the woman and man, they looked elegant even in mourning and death.

"Umm….

Hi? Umm so you have been trying to tell me something bringing me places…

The oldest girl looked to me with mild amusement putting up her hand and hitting the air with all her might. Her hand didn't sail through the air like I thought it would instead a big bang sounded through the room.

They were bound.

"So I have to lift the veil?"

The veil I had read about in a book somewhere. It had been after I found out about the ghosts. The veil was the boundary between the living and the dead. It kept them from talking to or physically hurting the living. They nodded solemnly.

"Do I look like a damn witch to you?"

They nodded.

Oh bloody hell!

The youngest looking girl looked to be chuckling if I could hear her, apparently she thought this was funny and was laughing at my expense.

"So you think that I can just lift the veil with a wag of my finger"

Again they nodded together, looking rather bored and put off. Well it was their fault… sort of.

"Fine, if you insist but if it doesn't work then don't blame me"

I looked at the family and reached out to them, willing her hand to become solid. At first nothing happened and I had only grasped air but THEN I felt solidness. The skin of a girl.

"YES!"

I did it!

I looked at the auburn haired girl curiously. She looked between me and Dimitri with a devious smirk. I honestly don't know what she was looking for. She was actually starting to creep me out. Maybe this wasn't such a great and fabulous idea.

"Did you _shag_ him?"

She said this scandalously as if it were some great and big deal. He's my man, of course I _shagged_ him. I told her just this.

She doubled over laughing; her sisters looked utterly bored to death with the topic of my sex life. Okay… fine then.

"So who are you guys exactly?"

The girl hooked her arm through mine and led me out of the room. Skipping down the hall she turned left and right. I was aware of Dimitri and the girl's family following us from behind but I was too excited to see what would happen next.

I didn't expect to be led to a hall full of pictures and a big book at the end of the hallway. Slowly the girl turned around, her eyes flickering to each picture with great care. I too looked at the pictures.

The royal family,

The goddamned ROMANOVS!

I should have seen this coming. I mean it was so blatantly obvious. It was right in front of me. Royal family of Russia, HELLO! It was practically sitting in front of my face.

"I'm the descendant of the ROMANOVS?"

The youngest girl nodded her head excitedly.

"Yes! Gosh we tried telling your mom this but you know she's not shadow touched and the living are so hard to reach with their delusions and such things"

"Oh… Ok then…"

She grinned wider at me.

"By the way… my name is Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov Last Grand Duchess of the Old Russian Monarchy. And do you know who you are?"

Well of course I know who I am. Who the hell does she think I don't think I am?

"Yeah I'm Rose Hathaway, Guardian to Princess Lissa Dragomir"

Her smirk was way too devious and scary for that of a teen girl. But she wasn't a teenage girl, and I have to get that through me damn head quick.

"No. Here in Russia you are Roza Vladimira Nikolaevna Romanov the Last Grand Duchess of Russia"

Oh the last grand duchess of Russia. Oh, how nice. I think I'm going to faint, I'm a Duchess. A Grand Duchess... Why does that sound so important?

I'm Rose. I'm just Rose. I'm the daughter of a kick-ass Guardian and the best friend/Guardian of Lissa Dragomir and Lover of Dimitri Belikov. I'm Rose. The Rose Hathaway that was on her way to being one kick-ass guardian. Who broke out a criminal from a high security prison in Alaska.

I looked back at Anastasia daring her to say something that would put my mantra into jeopardy. The hag did dare.

"Thy is Roza"

**A/N**

**Soooo. Yeah I know far fetched and all that jazz. Oh well I like it... I wish that it was a more well written but I didn't know how to break this out or whatever. The next chapter will clear up somethings such as why Alexei is still alive and how he doesn't look a day over 20. If you don't like it don't read it. Don't post stupid stuff such as calling me an asswipe. What the Fuck? Is it really in issue that i say f bomb or fuck? I think not... So don't do stupid shit like that. I encourage constructive critisism. Not stupid shit like that. If i was blaming the song why would i put it in there? I love that song. It has a story behind it i'ts not some stupid rapping like some these days. All i'm trying to say is don't post stupid shit.**

**Sorry bout going off like that but damn really?**

**Thank all of ya who reviewed. Keep it up, the more reviews i get the more I'll update and the more this story will make sense.**

**Stay tuned for more ;)**

**-Phedre Serenity Rosamund**


	6. Twilight Zone

"Uncle Alexei, do I have to go to this ball thing and wear a frilly dress and have the entire Moroi look at me and whisper about me?"

You can only guess what his answer had been. A simple yes would have sufficed but no, he has to go on about this and that and the other.

No wonder mother ever mentioned have family Alexei was a bastard of the devilish kind.

"OK Princess you're ready…"

The maid took a couple steps back looking at her handy work while I just lazily sat back in my chair, I was ready for a fight I decided looking at myself.

I looked beautiful, I looked like the last Grand Duchess of Russia but you know what?

At heart I'm not even a fucking noble.

I'm a guard.

Lissa watched as Asenath and her lover boy jumped back and forth. They were sparring, but you wouldn't know that upon first glance. It would look more like a vicious tango dance. Lissa decided.

"Lissa tell those two that we need to start heading out that friking ball is going to be starting at any time now"

Lissa nodded and walked over to the two stepping two feet away from their sparring area. She had learned that it wasn't safe to get right up close and personal to them when sparring.

You could get a black eye easily like Adrian was currently sporting around… and that was a shiner if she'd ever seen one.

"HEY! You two we need to get ready for the ball thingy…"

The two wiped the sweat from their foreheads before nodding and going their separate ways. Lissa nodded and walked to her room where all the primping magic would be going on.

She did so love party's she thought as she slid the two knives into a place holder residing on her thigh.

A party this would be indeed.

Ibrahim watched as all the guest's came and went. He was a guard for the evening. He knew all the rules from when he was a young boy… they had been whipped into him easily.

But tonight he wasn't a guard for the bastard who called himself Alexei he was a guard for his baby girl.

Dimitri passed him with a nod and a quick look behind him. The mob that Ibrahim had ordered had indeed arrived along with his niece and the last Dragomir Princess, who was hand in hand with those other two boys.

His daughter had nice connections, he mused as he watched them all file in. Now all they had to do was wait for Rose and all the fun would begin.

I watched as Alexei greeted his guests.

A lot had happened the last five months I'd been here. It was almost like a dream and I didn't remember most of it there was a reason for that; Alexei likes to drug his guests.

So my daily schedule would go like this:

Anastasia would tell me family secrets, I'd listen; then after that I'd sneak away from my room jump out the window wait for Dimitri to catch me and we'd train in the garden. I more than fifty percent of the time fell asleep in the garden and then he'd carry me back to my room.

We couldn't leave the Palace with Alexei in power we soon learned. Anastasia had been waiting for the time to tell someone of his numerous plans for Russia.

Alexei wanted revenge for the death of his family, so he started working with the Strigoi (told you he was a bastard of the dirtiest kind) he was the reason they were so common here in Russia.

Tonight was the night that he had planned for the Strigoi to storm the palace.

"Now announcing the last Grand Duchess of Russia; Roza Vladimira Nikolaevna Romanov "

Would it be wrong to say I feel like a new Barbie doll everyone has been waiting to come out? The noble's pressed closer as I walked down the gold and silver plated stairs.

"_Hey. There young niece of mine! So how does it feel to have all the glory of the Romanovs balancing on your shoulders?"_

I looked at her from the peripheral of my eye. There she was Grand Duchess Anastasia in all her Romanov glory. I mumbled so only she could hear me.

"_I don't know what you speak of…"_

She danced down the stairs merrily, singing that haunting song she first sang when I met her. I decided to ignore her until she faded away then searched the ball room for my allies. They were spread around the room professionally and I couldn't help thinking that I was glad to be a guard over a Romanov any day.

Alexei grabbed her wrist with a force full grip holding me behind him like he was trying to protect me. Well I don't want the protection, I'm fighting tonight.

I took the long skirts in hand and gave them a tug, there was the ripped seams… gripping the skirts tightly I tugged with all my might. Finally they came undone and fluttered to the ground with a soft rustle of silk.

Just then the doors were opened from all sides and Strigoi flooded the ball room. Time to dance; I pushed Alexei out of the way. Jumping off the stairs in one fluid movement, I looked around for a weapon to use only to see… plate… fork… spoon… crystal dagger in Anastasia's flickering hand.

"Fuck you scared me!"

I yelped as she handed me the dagger with a serious look in her eyes. This was the first time I'd seen her so serious.

"Remember Roza. One swift movement move on to the next… don't pay attention to anything happening around you"

I just nodded dumbly and ran into the fray. I jumped up grabbing the head of one of the Strigoi and twisted upwards, in one swift movement his head was un- lodged. I felt strong like never before.

Back flipping off of the flailing body I took my dagger and plunged into his heart with it. Moving on to the next I simple slid my knife into his heart like me and Dimitri had practiced so many times before.

"ROSE HELP! ROSE RUN!"

Before I could react to anything said I was attacked and knocked out swiftly.

Lissa took out the two swords from their safe keeping. She had been training with Asenath and Tristan for this day. Usually Lissa wouldn't put herself in this unnecessary danger but her friend was in danger what else was she supposed to do?

Plunging the long knife into the heart of one of the Strigoi she mused about the hardships she put herself through trying to learn the skill of fighting.

It wasn't easy, not one bit and she understood now the dedication you had to put in to this kind of work. Rose did this for her and she was going to pay her best friend back.

Watching her surroundings her eyes caught the movement of a girl walking over to Alexei and bending down whispering in his ear. Alexei's eyes got wild and he moved with the elegancy of an aristocrat. Arrogance and the 'greater than thou' swagger burned into him.

He took a club looking thing off the wall and sorted through the crowd of Strigoi, not one tried to harm him. He walked up to Rose and brought the club down… she was too late.

She was vaguely aware of someone dragging her away from the ball room and into a kingfisher blue room. She looked around to see Ibrahim, Dimitri, Andre, Christian, Tristan and Asenath breathing heavily until Tristan broke the silence.

"Did you guys see all those fucking tattoos on her neck?"

We all nodded all except Tristan and Asenath, they were in a state of shock I think.

Finally the two started talking.

"She had to kill A LOT of Strigoi to get that one mark and then she had those other one's, you could tell they had trouble putting her one tattoo on… the one that makes her a real guardian?"

They all just nodded.

"She had too many to count and there's probably some more that the dress was hiding"

They once again nodded.

Asenath turned towards her with a grin on her face. Lissa raised an eyebrow.

"She was wearing the sign of the Dragomir's. You're one lucky bitch to have my cousin as your guardian"

A wide smile spread across Lissa's face for the first time in too many months to count.

"Yes. Yes I am"

I blearily opened my eyes to see only a dank space around me. I decided the sight wasn't worth opening my eyes for when flashes of what happened caught up to me.

I sat up quickly, and regretted it. My head was banging like I had a vicious hang over. I touched the back of my head only to find my hair matted with blood, my blood.

"Well shit."

I got up and walked over to the barred window and looked down… I couldn't even see the ground. I pounded my fist into the cement brick.

"FUUUCK!"

"FUCK, FUCK,FUCK,FUCK,FUCK,FUCK, FUCK , FUCK, FUCK, BASTARD, DOUCHE, PRICK, BITCH, DAMN IT THAT FUCKING HUUUUUURT!"

My screams of profanity bounced back to me and I have to admit I felt better. But then I remembered I was hit in the fucking head with a club.

"DAMN HIM TO HELL! I HOPE… I HOPE…"

"_You have nothing to hope for…"_

That wavering voice… Anastasia has arrived.

"I HOPE HE GOES TO HELL AND SATAN POKES HIM IN THE EYES WITH A FUCKING NEEDLE! SO HA!"

I saw Anastasia wince before sitting down on the cold cement ground. I sat across from her; where I could keep a trained eye on her.

She broke into a smirk.

"Don't you feel like a fairytale princess?"

I nodded and pulled my knees up resting my head on them.

"Yeah; I feel like Rapunzel"

She laughed impishly. "Too bad you don't have the long golden hair huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah that's too bad"

She stood and walked over to me, crouching down her filmy pale hand petted my matted bloody hair. She sat next to me and we watched as her family appeared in the room (minus Alexei) and they surrounded us.

I and the rest of the family had a good relationship too. Actually it was better than me and Anastasia's because well frankly … they weren't evil.

Anastasia's three older sisters's enveloped me in misty hugs. Their time here was getting iffy… soon they would have to go back to the other side unless I didn't wish it so, we hadn't really discussed it.

My grandpa and grandma also came over. It was weird calling them grandpa and grandma because they didn't look old at all.

They patted my shoulders and offered their apologies for their 'blasted Strigoi son'.

Lissa looked at the group then back down at the map laying on the ground.

"Plan 'Save Rose' has been set into motion"

So Rose is stuck in a tower with a bunch of ghosts and Lissa is getting a kick ass plan going. Can someone say twilight zone? Anywho only a couple chapters left with lots of explaining to do I think. If it isn't clear Alexei turned Strigoi long ago…

REVIEW!

-Phedre Serenity Rosamund ;)


	7. Death Gave Me Life

"Okay Dimitri, Tristan you cover us at the back. Asenath you cover us from the front. We do this quick fast and easy, no showing off. Christian if you have to use your powers use them… **no showing off**"

Christian smirked at Lissa; they had been dancing around each other for too long. They had been avoiding a confrontation but he could feel the tension between them. He could tell that they were going to be having words after all this royal shit was done and Rose was safe with them.

They all nodded and ran through the corridor. Well, she did say quick…

I looked around the dank room for the forty fifth time; and you can bet your ass that I've been counting. I ran a hand through my hair feeling as dried blood flaked off and landed lightly on the floor. If only I could sleep, but I already knew that to be an epic fail. Trying to sleep had resulted in listening to tiny mouse feet run back and forth… and back… and forth…

Finally the noise had just become too much and I had to start pacing. As I walked back and forth around the room which by the way was small so I could only walk so far before having to turn back around.

"HEY! Bitch, I've come to feed your undeserving ass." Good old Catalina Reveres.

I sighed loudly and rather condescendingly for a prisoner of… war? Was this war? I mean Alexei WAS trying to kill royal Moroi so that does go under the category of war I am correct on this right? Snapping out of my musings I looked over to the girl slouching against the now open doorframe.

I had moved, attacked, and escaped without even knowing. Damn I was good. I looked back down at the slouched Catalina.

Huh… stupid wench.

* * *

"Okay now everybody, I know were close just a little farther ahead and… where is she?" Lissa looked around the small not to mention EMPTY room. Oh wait, nope it wasn't empty there was a girl slumped against the door frame.

Christian leaned down to check for a pulse, finding one he nodded. Lissa looked around the room with a frown… something was off.

"_Listen here princess Dragomir…"_ The airy voice sounded in front of her, looking around she couldn't see anything that hinted to a womanly voice such as the wavering one calling her.

Moving to walk out of the door she headed down the hallway, her posse following behind her.

"_Roza is in danger… you need to help her and…"_

"WAIT! Don't leave!" Lissa shouted aimlessly at the voice but to no avail she didn't hear it again.

"Come on people we need to get moving and fast!" Lissa nodded to the right passage and they all hurried down the stairs.

* * *

I felt so weak… so very weak.

The world was a mirage that I saw at every turn. In this world Strigoi leered at me my 'uncle' Alexei at the head of him. Every so often he would take a dagger and scratch it down my arm. The pain became nothing after awhile.

"_You have got to be kidding me… you're really taking this?"_

I looked at Anastasia through half lidded eyes. She was beautiful as usual I just don't know why she's here though I mean didn't she sell me out or was that just my imagination?

"_You don't understand Roza… I am his blood relative directly, he can control me…"_

I raised an eyebrow, really? She was trying to pull this bull shit over me? I think not…

….

"_Are you really singing in your head, know what don't answer that… you need to get the dagger… their bleeding you… you have powerful blood streaming through your veins… you cannot let them get it…."_

Okay, so apparently I have powerful blood streaming through my veins… is anyone else confused or am I the only one?

"_Gosh you are SO stubborn… your dead but living… through your blood runs the blood of the dead… the blood of the living… and the blood of the Romanovs…"_

Okay…

"_You have unimaginable power Roza! Now use it otherwise you will bring about the destruction of Moroi and Dhampir and ultimately the humans…" _

Damn it, now this was just ridiculous. I don't even know where I am never the less how to get out.

"_You're chained in the torture room, your blood is currently going around the Romanov insignia and you're about to be killed by your uncle… GET THE HELL OUT NOW!"_

Okay so it was time to take action unless I wanted my uncle to kill me, what a weird twist of fate but at least it was creative I mean… how many people could say they were killed by their Strigoi uncle, Prince Alexei, to kill off three different races… pphh… no one. Exactly…

Bu,t I didn't fancy getting killed anytime soon so, escape it was.

Opening my eyes I could see the Romanov family crest and my oh-so-precious blood precariously swirling around it… let me be the one to say weird.

The room was empty at the moment…I think, unless they have the ability of invisibility. They had actually left the dagger… or maybe it wasn't THE dagger but it was a dagger.

I could just push it over with my feet so I did so.

Well… I did escape the chains I'm proud to admit… it was really hard… and so many intricate twists it's too hard to explain.

"Ah!"

I felt like I was on fire but I didn't see any fire. I looked over to Anastasia who looked scared as all get-up. My entrails were turning to mush… I could feel it.

Anastasia soon disappeared and in her place stood a man with ebony hair, he was about my age and he wore a black robe.

"Rose…"

I nodded, was he just going to say my name or was some progress going to be made here?

"My name is Liath, keeper of the Underworld." So much for being my age…

"Oh, is that supposed to mean something to me because… it doesn't…" He grinned and shook his head, his wondrous ebony bangs shifted to the side for me to see his dark green eyes.

" Rose. You are supposed to be dead and you damn well know it. My name does mean something to you at least somewhere in your mind because you have met me before. I came to you in this form the last time you were supposed to die. Now, I will grant Lissa Dragomir's wish to have you live but this time it will not be taken lightly, now, listen closely…"

Lissa ran fast towards the smell of bloodshed that she couldn't bring herself to get used to. It seemed like Rose would be around there somewhere…

"_Get out of here… things are going to start happening and Rose wants you out of here…"_

Lissa looked around for the sound of the airy voice only to gasp as she saw that it was the ghost girl who had sold Rose out. "What are YOU doing here? Shouldn't you be killing Rose?" She sneered at the ghost.

"_No, now get out of here or die."_

Lissa nodded and rounded up their rescue posse telling them that it was time to go, that Rose had already escaped in a typical Rose way; and they believed her.

The group stood there, watching as the castle exploded. It just… exploded.

Lissa stood there eyes wide before she crumbled to her knees, "She's gone." Tears streaked her face, big fat tears that pooled and fell over and over again. The others were in a state of denial.

"She's dead. I thought she had just left. I thought she had really died but… no. she didn't die did she? But she's not here so she must be dead. Nobody could live through that, not even Rose…"

Christian kneeled down next to the distraught girl, "Rose is not dead." Lissa looked up at her ex-lover "But, how can you be so sure Christian?" Christian pointed to the figures appearing from behind the smoke. "Cause she's heading straight for us."

I trotted over bits of stone and brick. Stairs laid to my left, a door to my right. I grabbed Anastasia's hand for support and watched the forms clear before me. My friends and, I looked at Adrian with a hint of a wicked smile, family.

Lissa watched the figures appear out of the smoke as if they were goddesses coming down from the heavens in clouds of mist. That was Rose!

"Rose!" I smiled a real goddamn smile because dammit, I was happy! I was happy to be alive! I was happy that my Uncle was dead!

But everything comes with a price…

"_The Romanov sister's will be you're entourage, but you will be the leading Guardian. You Rose, will be the defender of the Moroi, of the Humans and even the Strigoi. You're duty is to keep it in balance. Keep the balance and all is well, but if the balance is disturbed things such as this will happen. Risings to purge the world into disaster, this is what we hope to avoid by putting the Guardian's into effect. The Earths safety rests in your hands, Rose you will see many different things, and you will see some of the world's oldest secrets but, don't be scared. Don't back down. You are invincible. You are eternal. You are Rose."_

My price birthed a whole new species of Guardians.

And my price would stay a secret. I watched as my aunts dispersed into the smoke. They would meet me back at the palace. The Guardians would be working with the royal family, and only the queen and those to follow would know about us.

I was tackled to the ground by Lissa and I hugged her back; maybe my secret wouldn't be a secret for long but I would keep it a secret for as long as I could. My eyes met Dimitri's, he smiled, I smiled.

Because I have a family; the realization creeped up on me before I could register it I was a bumble of tears in no time at all, crying with the best of them.

It's funny; it took one member of my family to die. The only one I considered FAMILY to die, before I realized I had more, and I hadn't found my family, but they me.

Dad...Asenath, Tristan... Christian, Lissa... Olga, Marie, Anastasia, Tatiana... Dimitri...

They had found me…

My family.

And everything was okay as long as I had them, and them me.

THE END.

* * *

Okay. So if you have any questions just holla… I mean review or something and if you think I should write a sequel or whatever tell me and suggest something because I have a few ideas. I hope you liked this story as much as I did for all its quirks and oddities.

Phedre Serenity Rosamund ;)


	8. Epilouge

EPILOUGE:

I brushed back a strand of dark hair from my face; looking over my figure I blew a kiss and smirked. How long had it been since I felt sexy? A damn long time I supposed, I mean add up the time, besides being dressed up at the fateful ball, which I hadn't felt sexy at all, I hadn't dressed up.

Dimitri came up behind me and rested his head on my shoulder, pressing sweet chaste kisses at my throat. I laughed and pulled away, dancing away from him cleverly.

"Come my Beautiful Wife, they will be expecting us."

I took one more lingering glance at my elegant, cream chiffon layered dress and lacquered nails, my hair swept up into a graceful bounce of curls that trailed down my back. I felt beautiful indeed. My eyes outlined in Kohl stood out beautiful against my skin; I glanced down at the intricate tattoo that danced up my arm, very grown up.

Dimitri smiled down at me, and I was still capable of blushing although sometimes when I was alone with him I wondered how I could when he made me feel everything but innocent. But, apparently you don't have to be 'innocent' to blush, well I'll be damned.

We glided down the hallway; people who were gathering to be let in to the ball room stopped what they were doing to whisper to the person next to them. Unconsciously I grabbed at the tattoo on my arm, that's what they were whispering about, the claim that death held on me… or the lack of. But I couldn't think about that, I had my beautiful man, my wonderful husband.

He was a sight to see with his wonderful silky hair flowing like a waterfall under the big sun roof. Wearing a black suit he clashed wonderfully with the fairy like creation I was wearing, I bit my lip, but damn wasn't he hot.

We stepped to be in the front of the hallway, facing the ballroom door with the rest of the Royal Moroi who had grown a deeper respect for me. I was also a Royal in some aspect, wasn't I? That's all they understood.

The queen, who I found out wasn't so bad, had insisted we keep the whole New Generation of Guardians a secret that only the Queen would know, and of course the few people I chose to tell.

My tattoo they were so enamored with simply looked delicately made, with black vines of death creeping up my arm and gold flowers shining and some seeming to grow with each day. What they didn't see couldn't hurt them I muttered to myself, Dimitri felt my unease and caressed the inner side of my arm, reminding me I was a strong woman and always had been. I felt the skin tingle were he touched; the inner side of my arm was decorated with the NGOG coat of arms that Death gave us.

Dimitri had a fascination with the NGOG coat of arms; it was Angel Wings, which meant guardian, the Ankh symbol which stood for eternity and a Rose which stood for me, Rose Hathaway-Belikov, touched by the dead in ways no person could comprehend.

We glided into the ball room when the doors opened, the whispering hadn't stopped and I heard Dimitri give an annoyed sigh.

"Fucking hell Dimitri, when do you think they'll get over the shock that I'm related to the queen? And why did they have to know anyway?"

This was an argument we had frequently, and just as frequently I lost the fight. Honestly I don't know why I asked anymore, it wasn't a big thing anyway. The Court just seemed to linger on things longer than necessary. It had three months since we came back from Russia, and they still couldn't take a fucking clue. They would never really know what happened, no matter how much they shook up the topic.

"You ask me this every sing time we go outside Rose, and it's always going to be the same answer. They had to be told some story, and we told them that one."

Period. No dot, dot, dot at the end just bam, end of subject. Oh, how I loved my husband.

"I love you Dimitri."

He grinned at me, took me in his big comforting arms, and gave me the kiss of the century. This would give them something to talk about, I thought with a mental grin.

But I hadn't lied when I told him I loved him, nor had I on our wedding night. I didn't find it necessary to overuse the word, but I told him now because it just hit me like a tidal wave. I love this man, Dimitri Belikov.

"If you all would sit down, the coronation will begin." The Queens voice rose above all others.

And you can bet your ass we all sat down, single file line and all, into our respective spots. Dimitri and I had been recruited to the important table adding greater mystique to the Belikov Guardians.

The queen floated over to the dais, smiling and catching my eye before skipping to the rest of the crowd."Hello everyone. We are all gathered here today to crown our new Regent. As we all know I am stepping down from my position as your Queen. Now I leave it to our new Monarch."

I stood tall and proud clapping loudly; I looked over to his mother and saw her doing the same thing. I was proud as I watched Adrian prowl onto stage, elegant like a fierce lion. I wiped a stray tear from my cheek. Things had been a tiny bit awkward between us when everything cooled down what with us having such a… close… relationship and than finding out we were cousins. I felt bad of course, he had claimed all this stuff only to find out I'm his cousin.

That must've sucked.

Lissa smiled brightly, gladly showing off her tears as they streamed freely down her face and I envied the fact that crying didn't diminish her beauty. Grabbing the crown Lissa hovered over a bowing Adrian; the Queen had decided that since Lissa didn't want to be the Queen she would instead present Adrian with the crown. I also heard that she was going to be the Royal Adviser.

Lissa was beautiful with her golden hair pulled up into an elegant French twist and wearing a flowing light blue gown. She looked truly regal; my eyes turned to Christian who was seated next to me. He was smiling brightly also, but not for the same reason. Oh I am sure he was proud of Adrian just as much as his mother was what with their brotherish relationship, but I think he was more proud of Lissa sporting a wedding ring on her left hand and the small baby bump that protruded only slightly.

Guess how long it took them to tie the knot… three weeks.

Guess how long it took them to make that kid… one night.

Now I want you to guess how many months pregnant she is… three.

And we were all happy they did.

"Rise King Adrian, your kingdom awaits you."

Oh shit, I forgot a ceremony was going on. Everybody smiled, whistled, cried, and screamed joyously. I did a combination of all. Adrian grinned and hugged Tatiana and then Lissa. He held up his arms, the room got silent very fast.

"I ask one favor this day, that Dimitri Belikov be my main Guardian and Rose Hathaway-Belikov be the Ever Lovely Vasilisa Dragomir's main Guardian."

I was shocked, as was Dimitri. Originally he was supposed to be guarding Christian's aunt, Natasha Ozera. I was pleased that he wouldn't be, I was still uneasy about her for some reason. Everybody might love her but I would always be cautious of her.

Adrian caught my eye and smirked, "As long as that is okay with the Belikov's." It was more a statement than anything but I still stood, my eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I accept King Adrian."

"As do I." Dimitri grabbed my hand and squeezed, I squeezed back.

I felt like crying with relief.

Adrian gave a very wolfish smirk that made a shiver run through the Courts back and up again. His blond hair and high cheek bones making him look even more regal and I would forever associate him with Prince Arthur from Merlin.

Don't ask.

"Well, let us celebrate!"

The court approved of this and at once set out to party. Champagne glasses floated around the room; I excused myself to go get a breath of fresh air, alone.

It was truly beautiful outside and I basked in the cool wind that whipped around me softly. That is until I was roughly, and very hard, kneed in the stomach.

I twitched in pain for a second, catching my breath before rising. I was surprised for a minute but quickly put on my smooth criminal face.

Jesse Zeklos stood in front of me with a cocky smirk on his face.

"You're pretty arrogant for a low class piece of shit."

Jesse stood proudly. "That looked like it hurt you; you should have seen your face."

I moved to steps towards him, I would not be intimidated by the likes of him. "Well, not too bad. I bet you think your hot shit, don't you? But don't get all cocky just because you got a lucky shot. If I were the old me you would've been knocked unconscious right about now."

"And what are you going to do to me now huh? Are you going to slap me? You must be so happy, you really have it made don't you with your ex-boyfriend or whatever he was to you being King now. But I can't forget that stuck up bitch princess and her psycho side kick. Oh yeah, then there's your _husband_ who is seven years older than you-

I grabbed his tongue between my index finger and thumb, how and when? I don't know, all of a sudden I was holding his tongue with my fingers. I think this was my inner protective huntress coming out for a visit, honestly I don't know where it all came from.

"That's one busy tongue you got there. Maybe I'll tear it out. That would shut you up. Better save your appetite bitch. After all the main course is about to be served." I spat at him.

He got a real confused look on his face, and then he looked terrified. I ignored this and threw him away from my body. He got up and tried to throw a punch at me, I merely stepped to the side grabbed his arm twisting it until I heard a crack. He cried out in pain but still came at me with a multitude of crappy moves. I gave him two good punches to the face before giving him a flying kick to the face.

He glared at me, tears streaming down his face.

I smirked and made a show of brushing off my hands. "Not only do you suck at kissing you can't fight for shit. Go cry yourself to sleep you sack of crap." I wasn't feeling very grown up right now but that was okay.

"You're a monster. And you messed up my face!" He threw at me as if I'd be offended. Guys like him lived for their appearance, and I just royally fucked his up.

"The only monster here is that swollen face of yours, you bastard. You wanna have a pity party, do it alone."

I felt complete. I walked away, I didn't look back.

_Six months later…_

"I see the head! I see the mother effing head! It's there!" I screamed with a sickening joy. Watching your friend give birth is sickening and fascinating all at once.

"Ahh! Why isn't it out already?" Lissa cried in agony.

I shushed her and wiped her brow. Christian was on the other side of the bed, whispering loving words in her ear. Lissa cried out again, the doctor was urging her to push one more time. Lissa obeyed and a look of relief flashed across her face at the same time a cry rang throughout the room. Christian's eyes watered, where my eyes were already over flowing. Lissa was sleeping and I didn't blame her one bit.

The doctor washed the little critter and put some gooey looking shit on the baby's eyes preventing infection or something she said. She then gave the crying baby to Christian.

He looked down at the baby with adoration, cradling the baby securely in his arms. The baby yawned and opened her eyes for a moment before shutting them, scrunching up her pink little face and letting out a big, fat, scream.

Lissa blinked, hearing the mother's call she opened her arms and as most conservative as possible, fed the little piglet.

Christian studied his family with open and complete love. The doctor came in, along with a nurse who was smiling although probably wondering how two Moroi had children when two Moroi couldn't have children. I think that was the thing right? I don't really pay attention to that stuff.

"Do you two have a name picked out?" The doc asked.

Lissa nodded. "Yes."

As soon as I heard the R pronounced I already knew and cried out in horror. "You can't name her Rosemarie, I forbid it. I _hated_ being named after an herb! I will not allow you to subject her to this torture that will follow her throughout life!"

Lissa and Christian glared at me, ganged up on me; they were one as they both iced my blood. Christian started first, "You are a very important person to both of us and it will be an honor for her to be named after somebody so heroic…"

Lissa finished, "… you are family Rose, plus it is only suitable the baby be named after her Godmother."

Before I could react Christian told the doctor the child's name. "Her name is Rosemarie Vasilisa Sabina Rhea Dragomir Ozera."

Rosemarie Vasilisa Sabina Rhea Dragomir Ozera, that poor child.

The doctor nodded and left the room, along with her sidekick. Lissa pulled the baby away from its food source and smiled, tracing the baby's face. She was beautiful, little Rosemarie. Rosemarie Vasilisa.

Lissa held the baby out for me and I gladly cuddled the newborn child to my chest, she was so little! I cooed at her, exercising my rights as Godmother. Placing a kiss on Rosemarie's forehead she gave a small yawn and opened her eyes for a fleeting two minutes. They were her father's eyes, crystal blue.

"She has Christian's eyes." I said, excitement lacing my voice lovingly.

Lissa beamed up at Christian. Christian leaned down and gave her a big whopping kiss. I handed Rosemarie back to her mother and excused myself; I figured the family wanted a little time to themselves.

_Five years later…_

I glanced back at the two children behind me, they were ready to pounce. I grinned and crept out from behind the bush, silently I ushered the children forward. They crawled behind me, I held up one finger. One. Two fingers, they got ready to attack. Two. Three fingers, they jumped out from behind the bush. Three.

We ran, screaming like banshees and laughing. The teenagers that had been drinking and making out jumped before trying to hide everything. I laughed, giving them a cool smirk.

One of the girls jumped up like a pampered Chihuahua, frankly this girl annoyed me. "OMG! It's Rose Belikov, she's so badass!"

The teens forgot their misbehavior and started to gain ground. I glared.

"Did you guys think you wouldn't be caught? Me and mine made this place, and you think we wouldn't know?" I pointed to the plaque I had put in after Zebediah had been born. It said, Founders and under that it said Vasilisa Dragomir and Rosemarie Hathaway.

The teens quickly fled, my temper was known as ferocious and anyone who got in the way of it would feel my wrath. They didn't want my wrath thrown upon them, I concluded.

Marie and Zebediah grinned and took my hands. Zebediah was Marie's younger brother; he was two years younger than her. I was also his Godmother and Dimitri was the Godfather. Lissa was pregnant again, four months to be exact and Marie and Zebediah were very excited to meet their new sibling.

The kids never had a problem with sibling rivalry and were well behaved for the most part, but I was glad I wasn't their parents; the teen years were going to be hell.

Zebediah started humming while we walked back to the building, it was very peaceful this life. We were going to go visit Dimitri and Adrian. Lissa was being watched by someone I trusted very much, my father.

He had taken my mother's death pretty hard, he had truly loved her. The only thing that was keeping him together I think was the little family we had here, we made this family. I was happy, truly happy. And I knew Dimitri was also. He seemed to carry this small smile everywhere, this small smile that spoke loads of content.

Marie started skipping, bees were buzzing, and Zebediah was humming.

"GUARDIAN HATHAWAY!" and the peace was shattered.

I watched Lissa's apprentice run towards me and I felt my happiness start to shake, was Lissa hurt? Was Christian?

I told Marie and Zebediah to go ask Mia Reynolds, one of the family friends, if they could go over to her house and play with her children. It seemed I was the only one without children, actually it didn't seem like it, it was true.

"Yes?" I asked when he came close enough to hear me.

"King Adrian needs you immediately." He stressed the 'immediately'.

I ran for Adrian's office immediately, I trusted Mia to watch the kids gladly, she loved kids. Especially Marie and Zebediah, but I loved them more.

I burst through the door, Adrian and Dimitri were talking and I saw Dimitri tense before realizing it was me. If I was a badass Guardian, Dimitri surpassed that and was Bad-To-The-Bone.

"What?"

Adrian gestured for me to take a seat, I gladly accepted. " Jesse Zeklos has joined the Strigoi, they're planning a big attack. And…"

I asked him to go on. "Tatiana was murdered."

It was like losing my mother all over again.

"Oh-umm, do we have any ideas who could've killed her?" I choked on my words. Tatiana and I had grown very close. She was like a mother to me, or a priceless Aunt.

"None."

Dimitri hugged me close, I don't know when he appeared before me. I don't know how he got there so quick.

"Roza, I'm so sorry." He said this over and over.

That's when everything fell into place, who was I? I was Rose, I was Roza. I could deal, I would figure it out. I felt a presence behind me, a shiver stole down my back. The cold drew past my neck and I vaguely heard something.

"_Thy is Roza…"_

And that is when I knew. Everything was starting to change again.

Thy is Roza indeed. I hugged Dimitri closer, and I told him I loved him. I faced Adrian and told him we had business to discuss.

"Yes Cousin." He said with affection.

"Roza, how long it's been."

Fucking hell.

I turned around to see my Aunts in full form, as in they were solid as me Dimitri and Adrian. These were the other NGOG's.

I walked to the door because they would want to talk to Adrian themselves. Dimitri called out to me, "Bye Roza. Tell Zebediah and Marie I say hello!"

I waved.

"_See you soon Roza…"_

Everything was shifting, changing. We would all have to adjust. And yet, I reflected, I was still happy, still content. I was sad of course, but only because somebody close to me was murdered. I wasn't sad, or disappointed because of the change. I was adjusting and taking it all in stride.

I felt like myself. I felt like Roza. I felt like Rose. I also felt like nachos… but that's neither here nor there.

Thy is Roza.

* * *

Now it's over. All done, and I still left it open for me to make a sequal if I so wish. Life is good. I had to put the part where Rose kicks ass, even if it was a little bit.

Thanks so much everyone for reviewing! I really enjoyed writing this story and getting your encouraging reviews!

-Phedre Serenity Rosamund


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